Student ratings of selection factors for PsyD programs

Area of Science:

• Psychology Education
• Clinical Psychology Training

Background:

• Selecting an appropriate Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program is a critical decision for aspiring clinical psychologists.
• Understanding student priorities can inform program development and recruitment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key factors Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) students consider important when selecting a doctoral program.
• To compare student-identified important factors with their assessments of their current programs.

Main Methods:

• Survey analysis of 394 enrolled PsyD students and 17 Directors of Clinical Training (DCTs).
• Respondents rated the importance of 18 factors in program selection on a 5-point scale.
• Students also evaluated their current programs on these 18 dimensions.

Main Results:

• Program structure, tone, and reputed quality of training were rated as most important by students (M's 4.13-4.54).
• Students perceived their current programs highly on factors they deemed most crucial for selection (r's .15-.37).

Conclusions:

• PsyD students highly value program structure, tone, and reputation in their selection process.
• The study identified top-ranked PsyD programs based on student-reported quality for key selection factors.